Steering wheel shaking at 65 mph, what is the cause?

[waxworm09]

The other day I test drove a 03 Avalanche. The truck seemed to run great, the only issue is when I got it up to 65mph, there was a shake in the steering wheel. I'm thinking it could just need a balance, but are there any bigger issues that would cause that? I like the truck, but am hesitant to buy it with that issue. Any advice? Thanks

[Dave S]

a couple things that come to mind are bad ball joints, warped brake rotors or a bent rim.

[waxworm09]

He said it has new pads and rotors so that probably isn't the issue, but ball joints are a big concern. I have also heard could be tie rods? Not sure if I want to bother buying a vehicle that could need some expensive repairs right away.

[RangerJack]

Out of round tire, ball joint issue, tie rod end issue.

[Macgyver55]

Look at the idler and pitman arms, and check hub and bearing assemblies for looseness.

[SkunkedAgain]

Tell him that you'll split the cost of fixing the repair as a condition of sale.

[96trigger]

Have them rotate the tires. Put the front wheels on the back, backs on the front. Drive again, no more shake, balance wheels, check for bent rims. Still shakes, check for bigger problems. My experience is that sloppy steering or knocking noises generally come from suspension or steering. Shakes and vibrations, generally come from the tires/wheels.

[96trigger]

I believe there was also a problem with the steering shaft in those model years. There was a knocking noise or shudder in the steering wheel because grease escaped from the shaft and it slid, gm had a fix for this. I don't think this is your problem though.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Ball joints don't cause vibrations at highway speeds. They will cause the inside tread to wear faster

Tie rod ends don't cause vibrations at highway speeds. They can cause the tire tread to wear tapered.

Warped rotors would only cause a vibration when braking.

If the tie rod ends where bad the steering wheel would be off center.

The wheel bearing would have to be pretty sloppy to show any signs while driving. Typically the vehicle will feel floaty at high speeds if they are sloppy enough. They can cause camber issues which could cause a slight pull or they will also start to wear the inside tread.

Steering wheel shake is typically tire balance, seperated tire, or bent wheel. Seperated tires and bent wheels, depending on the severity can usually be felt in the wheel at slow speeds (under 5mph let logo of the steering wheel and see if it moves back and forth).

[Pinusbanksiana]

I had a huge buildup of clay stuck inside my rims once and this caused a bad shake. It was stuck so hard I took the wheels off and pressure washed them.

[Macgyver55]

I agree that tire balance or a wheel problem is the most likely culprit of a shake, but looseness in most any front end part can cause front end shake under the right circumstances. All it takes is the right combination of a worn part or combination of parts and an external factor like a bump on the road or a pothole to start the process.

I've also seen warped rotors cause a shake also when combined with a stuck caliper.

Also run into tie rod ends, idlers and pitman arms loose enough to contribute to front end shake and can progress into the "death wobble" under the right conditions.

Whatever it turns out to be, I never rule out any loose front end part as a possible contributor to a front end shake.

[Walleyehooker]

Sounds like a balance problem or bad tire when it happens at a certain speed. Uneven tire ware would indicate other problems.